1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel filter which introduces fuel from a fuel inlet into a casing, which filters foreign matter from the fuel by passing the fuel through a filter member, and which discharges the filtered fuel from a fuel outlet to the outside of the casing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a conventional fuel filter is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility-Model Publication No. 4-109465. The fuel filter of this type includes a substantially cylindrical casing which accommodates a substantially cylindrical filter member. In the fuel filter disclosed in Laid-Open Utility Model 4-109465, a fuel inlet communicates with the interior of the cylindrical filter member and a fuel outlet communicates with the outside of the filter member. The fuel introduced from the fuel inlet into the interior of the cylindrical filter member moves to the outside of the filter member after foreign matter is filtered therefrom. Then, the fuel free from the foreign matter is fed from the fuel outlet to the outside of the casing.
FIG. 13 is a view of a module in which a conventional fuel filter is used. Numeral 90 designates a cylindrical housing for accommodating a substantially cylindrical fuel filter. The housing 90 should be formed to have a circular cross section in order to accommodate the fuel filter having a circular cross section.
Specifically, the housing 90 which accommodates the fuel filter of the circular cross section is also required to have the circular cross section, thus increasing the outer diameter of the module in which an attachment such as a sensor is assembled to the housing 90.
FIG. 13 shows the module wherein the fuel filter of the circular cross section is accommodated in the housing 90 of the circular cross section and wherein an attachment such as a sensor 93 is mounted on a peripheral wall of the housing 90. This module includes a set plate 91 attached to the housing 90 and a mounting portion 92 for mounting the attachment thereon. The attachment 93 such as a sensor is mounted on the mounting portion 92 with mounting members 94 or bolts.
When the module is constructed by mounting the attachment 93 to the housing 90 having the circular cross section, the outer diameter of the module will be considerably larger than that of the housing 90. A large outer diameter of the module requires a large bore to be provided to a fuel tank for inserting the module into the fuel tank.